Final stand
by Doc Lee
Summary: An idea on how a possible final sequence of the finale could (but almost certainly won't) happen. Rated T for a little bit of blood. Not as dark as the genre's suggest.


Just a nugget of an idea that's spooled out into this after reading some Arrow related Forum thread. I have a sneaky suspicion (a flimsy one that I honestly don't expect to happen, let alone like it does here) that something similar to this may take place in the finale. Manu Bennet is a brilliant bad guy, so I kinda hope it doesn't happen.

As always, I hope you enjoy this plot that spooled out of my head inside of an hour and all constructive reviews are not only welcome, but they are encouraged.

Disclaimer - The people that own Arrow are the people that own Arrow. I am not one of those people.

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Oliver thundered across the tin roof, the knowledge that he'd lost the element of surprise helping him speed across the rooftops towards his goal. Each pounding step filled him with more self loathing, the idea that Slade would go for Felicity over Laurel never crossing his mind until he heard his IT girl scream Slade's name over the comms link before the Australian's deep chuckle echoed as the link was cut.

'Five hundred feet up ahead,' Diggle's voice was strained, the former Soldier's injuries sustained from a Miracuru injected Isobel Roschev still troubling the older man. Oliver didn't quite know or care right now as to how Diggle had taken her down, but he was grateful that the man had the fore sight to take the drastically disturbing action of severing the woman's head in the desperate hope that the dismemberment prevented her body from repairing the damage sustained to her.

Leaping over a small side street, Oliver rolled and carried on sprinting. He'd been naive, had played on Slade's knowledge of his previous feelings towards Laurel, sending her away to Waller's protection in the hope that his former friend's vow for one more death wouldn't take place.

'OLIVER!' He winced as his mind played the scream Felicity had bellowed, 'SLADE!'

'Skylight to your right,' Diggle announced, 'Should be able to drop down to the ground floor from there, there are three heat signatures below you. Two are five metres at your two o'clock and the third is fifteen metres at your seven o'clock. Suspect it's an ambush.'

Oliver glanced at the burning Starling city, his mind telling him to take one last look at the city he'd failed. Ripping open the skylight, Oliver dropped to the floor below.

'Oliver!' Felicity squeaked, Slade's arm tight around her torso, his one remaining eye staring at his former friend.

'About time Kid,' Slade snarled, 'Thought you might miss this one's death. Can't have that can we?'

'Let her go Slade!' Oliver growled dangerously, his bow raised and an arrow nooked.

'Can you kill me before I break her little neck?' Slade smirked, 'Lower that bow and throw it, along with your quiver, away from your reach.

Oliver noticed Felicity's eyes weren't trained on him but behind him at where the third person was. A sudden realisation hit him that she wasn't scared of whoever it was, which made them an ally. Felicity's quick flick of her eyes to Oliver's left told him she wanted the bow and quiver thrown in that direction. The look of utter relief on her face when he did just that gave Oliver hope that all would be okay for both him and his IT girl.

'Good boy,' Slade pushed Felicity forward, 'You thought I didn't know about your pathetic avoidance of your feelings for this one. The first time I saw your Laurel I knew she wasn't the one that would die, you didn't truly care for her, and she had already moved on to screwing that other Archer's kid. No... Her death wouldn't hurt as much. This one's will.'

Slade shoved Felicity to the floor and pulled out a familiar handgun, 'Remember this?'

'Don't do is Slade,' Oliver begged, 'She is innocent in all of this. Your battle is with me and me alone.'

'SHADO WAS INNOCENT!' Slade roared, 'SHE DIDN'T DESERVE TO DIE EITHER!'

Felicity whimpered as the gun muzzle poked the back of her head, 'You will stand there and watch as I use the same gun that took Shado from me to take the one you love and then I will kill you.'

'Don't do this Slade,' Oliver pleaded as Felicity began to weep softly, 'Shado wouldn't have wanted this, not in her name.'

'SHADO WANTED TO LIVE!' Slade's forehead pulsed, his remaining eye bulging, 'SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE IN THE MUD!'

'I DIDN'T WANT HER TO EITHER!' Oliver bellowed, 'IVO MADE ME CHOOSE!'

'And you chose that slut over Shado,' Slade snarled, 'I will enjoy taking my time with that creature.'

'Say goodbye Felicity,' Slade sneered, placing the muzzle back against against her head, the blonde staring up at Oliver an accepting calm on her face.

'See you in hell Wilson,' Felicity smirked before screaming,'NOW!'

Oliver and Slade shared a shocked and confused look, the former flinching as an arrow embedded itself in latter's head, entering from his blind side. Neither man had time to blink before Oliver was tackled to the ground by Felicity.

Slade smirked and reached up to grasp the Arrow in his skull. That was the last move the man ever took as the Arrow promptly exploded, Slade's finally dead body dropping to the ground with a thud.

'Oliver?' Felicity threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

'What...?' Oliver blinked, shock screaming through him as he stared at Slade's headless body.

'Exploding Arrow head,' Felicity explained, her voice muffled from where her face was buried in his collarbone, 'I mocked one up after Cisco told me that the Miracuru had the same weakness as a zombie. Remove the brain, it can't regenerate any damage.'

'Who... Who fired it,' Oliver curled his arms around Felicity, his breath ragged in relief.

'Don't be made Oliver,' Felicity looked worried, 'I didn't know until she appear that she'd seen Slade take me and had followed me here.'

'Who?' Oliver registered movement in the shadows and flipped Felicity over, his body crouched over hers in a fighting stance.

'Looks like those archery trophies came in handy after all,' Thea quipped nervously as she appeared out the dark, Oliver's bow clasped in her hand, 'You didn't tell me it was going to be that messy Lis.'

Oliver's left eye twitched as he stared at his sister, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl, 'What the hell are you doing here?'

'Lis just told you Ollie,' Thea winced, poking Slade's body with the toe of her boot, 'I was in the club when this monstrosity stalked through only to appear a few moments later with Lis over his shoulder like some freaking caveman.'

'I followed them here and hid,' Thea shrugged, 'this lunatic left her alone for a few minutes and I made myself known.'

'I hid the arrowhead in my bra,' Felicity explained as distant sirens rang out, 'managed to grab it as Slade hulked his way into the lair. I knew your arrows have the screw on heads, so I gave Thea the exploding one and hoped you'd get the hint.'

'Thank God you did,' Thea threw herself at her brother, 'Lis was right, the pants do make your ass look good.'

Olive gave a furiously blushing Felicity a raised eyebrow over Thea's shoulder, 'You knew?'

'Of course I knew doofus!' Thea stepped back and slugged Oliver's arm, 'I'm nineteen, not an idiot... Heh...'

'What?' Oliver frowned. His arm pulled Felicity to him, his need to assure she was safe coming to the fore.

'When the bastard had me hostage,' Thea scoffed, 'He taunted me about how much damage a 19 year old could do,' She turned and glared at the body, 'You didn't like the answer did you? Ha!'

The sounds of sirens came closer, Diggle's voice registering in Oliver's ear, 'Police are a minute out Oliver, you need to get outta there. Lance is with them, he'll keep the girls safe.'

'I need to go,' Oliver winced, 'Lance will be here in a minute to take care of you two.'

'Go Ollie,' Thea handed Oliver his bow, 'Get out of here before all your secrecy is undone.'

'Speedy,' Oliver pressed his lips against her hair and turned to Felicity, a sudden nervousness covering him.

'Go Oliver,' Felicity pointed at a nearby door, 'That exit is where Thea said she came in. Now get out of here before Lance catches you.'

Oliver turned and started towards the door, only to pause with his hand on the handle. Felicity squeaked as Oliver stalked back across the open floor and grabbed her, crushing his lips against hers briefly, 'The first of many Felicity.' Thea smirked as Felicity stared open mouthed at Oliver's rapidly disappearing back.

Just as Oliver disappeared through the door, the opposite side of the room burst into smoke, Quentin Lance sprinting into the room, his gun raised.

'I take it we missed the interested part of tonight?' Quentin holstered his weapon and grabbed a still shocked Felicity in a brief hug, 'Either of you wanna tell me what happened here tonight and why he ended up with a splitting headache?' Lance nodded to the body on the floor.

Thea and Felicity shared a look and Quentin knew his night was going to be a long one.


End file.
